Nail-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. B. BROWN. NAIL MACHINE.

No. BZZAP Patented July 21, 1885.

26 I w v F: "fl I I min 4 I Inventor,

#W ZZw-fl N. PETERS, PhoXo-Lilhographer. Walhinglnn. n. c.

2 Sheets-Sheet g.

(No Model.)

M. BzBROWNf NAIL MAGHINE.

I No. 322,413. Patented July 21, 1885.

N. PETERS, Phuto-Ulhcgmph UNITED STATES PAT NT O FICE.

MOSES B. BRO\VN, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

NAIL-MACHINE.

SPECIPICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,413, dated July 21, 1885.

Application filed April 17, 1884.

To all whom it may concern,

Be it known that I Mosns B. BROWN, of Waltham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Nail-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide improved means for cutting or punching nails from a plate of metal; and it consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a bottom view of ahead or holder having a series of punches forming a part of my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the head or holder shown in Fig. 1, a corresponding holder having a series of bed-dies corresponding to said punches and feeding devices. Fig. 3 represents an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 represent views of the plate at different stages of the punching operation. Fig. 10 represents a top view of the fixed holder containing the female dies.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents ahead or holder provided with punches formed to punch nails from a plate of metal, 0. The punches are arranged in groups I) b, b b, b 0 each group occupying adifferent position lengthwise of the holder at from the others. Spaces equal to the length of the punches are formed between each group and the next, and the punches of each group occupy a different lateral position from the punches of the other groups, so that all parts of the width of a strip of metal presented for the action of said punches and fed in the direction of the length of the punches will be acted on thereby, the described arrangement enabling all the punches to act on the strip without acting simultaneously on any portion of the strip, as they would if all were located side by side, only one group of punches acting at the same time on any trans.

verse portion of the strip of the same length as a punch. The shape of the punches is such that the portions of the plate remaining between the adjacent cut-out nails'are reversed fac-similes of the nails, and are also entirely they have perforated the plate.

(No model.)

f represents a plate, which is provided with orifices g coinciding with the punches. Said plate is pressed by springs h h, interposed between it and the holder a against the nail plate 0, and prevents the nail-plate from adhering to and rising with the punches after Each female die is provided with aplunger, 'i, fitting closely in said die and pressed upwardly by a spring, j. After the nails are punched from the plate a and forced into the female dies by the punches, the plungers press the nails out of the female dies back into the orifices in the plate from which they were punched. The plate is thus prevented from collapsing or yielding inwardly at its edges after it has been partially cut or punched. The edges of the plate bear against lateral guides Z l, and if the nails were not thus returned to the orifices from which they were punched, the pressure of the guides against the edges of the plate might cause one edge to yield, and thus displace the uncut portions with reference to the punches intended to act on them. 1

The nail-plate is fed intermittently, each feed movement being equal to the length of a nail. I have shown the feed mechanism in the present instance as consisting of two rolls, in m, between which the plate 0 passes, one roll being j ournaled in fixed bearings and the other in sliding bearings, and pressed by springs 02 against the plate 0, which is thus grasped by the two rolls. One of the rolls has a ratchet, p, which is engaged by a pawl, g, on an oscillating arm, a". Said arm is oscillated by any suitable means, and its movements are so timed that it causes the pawl to rotate the ratchet, and thus feed the plate 0 forward after the punches have been withdrawn from the plate,

and the nails formed by their last action have been forced back into the plate 0.

The punches and dies may be secured to their respective holders by any suitable means. I have shown the punches clamped between blocks 8, against which bearset-screws t t, in serted in the holder, said screws securing the block to the holder and causing said blocks to clamp or hold the punches. Set-sc1*ewsa,bea1' ing against the ends of the punches,enable the latter to be adjusted endwise to compensate for wear of their acting ends.

The blocks in which the female dies are formed are secured to the holder by set-screws a and clamping-blocks 1/.

Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and9 show the naihplate,

respectively, after the first, second,- third, .fourth, fifth, and sixth punching-operation,

and illustrate the advantages of theabove-described arrangement of punches so clearly that furtherdescription is unnecessary.

It is obvious that the number of groups of punches and the number of punches in each group may be varied, and that the form of the punches may be modified, so that difi'erently-formed nails may be produced.

My improved machine may be used for the manufacture of nails of all sizes and for all purposes. The guides Z are preferably rollers pressed by springs l against the edge of the nail-plate, and thus adapted to conform to such slight inequalities as may exist in the width of the nailplate, so that the plate will be at all times closely confined laterally.

I claim 1. In a nail-machine, a series of punches arranged in groups, as described, each group being separated from the next by a distance equal to the length of a punch and occupying a different position laterally from the other group or groups, combined with a correspondingly-arranged series of dies, as set forth.

2. In a nail-machine, the combination of a series of punches arranged in groups, as specified, each group being separated from the rest by a distance equal to the length of a punch and occupying a diiierent lateral position from the other groups, a correspondingly-arranged series of dies, and intermittently-operating feed mechanism, substantially as described, whereby the nail-plate is fed a distance equal to the length of a nail at each movement of the feed mechanism, as set forth.

3. In a nail-machine, the combination of a series of punches arranged in groups, as described, a corresponding series of dies, and a spring-backed plate having groups of orifices coinciding with and receiving the punches when they enter the nail-plate and bearing with a yielding pressure on said nail-plate,

whereby the latter is prevented 'from'adhering to the punches, as set forth.

l. In a nail-machine, the combination of a series of punches arranged. in groups, as described, a corresponding series of dies, a spring-backed plate having groups of orifices coinciding with said punches and dies and. bearing on the nail-plate when the punches are in the same, and a corresponding series of plungers in said dies, whereby the punchedout nails are returned to the plate when the punches recede therefrom, as setforth.

In a nail-machine, the combination of a series of punches arranged in groups, as described, a corresponding series of dies, a fixed guide for one edge of said plate, a spring guide or guides for the other edge, and a series of plungers in said dies, whereby the punchedout nails are returned to the plate when the punches recede therefrom, and the springguide is prevented from displacing the plate, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 12th day of April, 1884.

MOSES B. BROYVN.

XVitnesses:

J. H. Hrocms, F. E. KENDA L. 

